When You Cried
by purpledragon6
Summary: Not all strangers have bad intentions, and not all friends have good ones. As Star begins to fall into other crowds, its up to Marco to save the princess from harm... But what happens when the one hurting her is himself? Rated T for hints of Starco and fluffy moments.
1. Don't Cry, Okay?

**A/N: When You Cried: Chapter 1: Don'y Cry, Okay?**

* * *

Star Butterfly sat in her new room, feeling particularly sad today as she looked around at her new surroundings and sighed. Her parent's choice to send her Earth had happened over three months ago to this date, but the painful feeling of longing to be back home was settled deep in her heart, making it still hurt as if it was a recent event. With another soft sigh, she looked at the unfamiliar walls of her three month older bedroom, and gently reached out to touch the softly colored walls. Marco had chosen the color for her recently, thinking that maybe the bright color would cheer her up a little.

"Star?" The gentle voice, belonging to her friend Marco, tore her away from her thoughts. "Whats wrong, Star?"

"W-what? Oh, nothing." She lied, sniffling quickly as she started wiping her button nose onto her bed sheets. "I'm fine, Marco."

Sensing the lie, Marco nodded his head as he walked over to the side of Star's bed that was unoccupied, and sat down next to her. With a soft sigh of his own, he turned to her slowly and placed a gentle yet protective hand on her shoulder. He could sense Star's unhappiness, and was now taking it upon himself as her friend to think of a way to cheer her up, though he didn't have much of an idea, as Star was really the first person he ever really had to comfort. Still, he was willing to try for her sake.

"We can talk about it if you want." He said, the one shoulder hold soon becoming an awkward side hug. "If you want to, that is."

"N-no, I'm fine." Star sighed as she sank into the hug for a few moments before gently pushing out of it, taking her new found freedom to fix her headband carefully, only to knock it further our of its place. "I'm okay."

"Okay, if you say so." Marco muttered, frowning softly at the tilted head band and fixing it for her.

"Marco, I just need a nap is all." Star said, offering a very weak smile as she sunk back down into her sheets, allowing Marco to fix her headband once more. "I'll feel better after that..."

With that, she turned slowly away from him as she felt a few tears welling up into her eyes, muttering a quick thanks to him before curling up on her side. Marco sighed softly, and stood slowly before starting for the door, taking his time just in case Star would call out to him in the next few seconds, or if he thought of a sudden idea to cheer her up. He didn't though, and instead he headed out into the hall with a soft sigh. Surely there was something he could do, but he couldn't think about what yet.

"Its not like I can bring her whole planet back down here for her..." Marco muttered as he walked, feeling a certain heaviness in his limbs as he attempted to move down the hall and further from Star's room. "Or can I...?"

With a sudden idea in mind, Marco's eyes lit up as he raced down the stairs and into the living-room. He would need plenty of supplies if he wanted to finish this idea by the time the afternoon was over, so with another sigh, he got to work.

* * *

**Later:**

Star smiled softly at the sound of chirping birds outside, having just awoken from her nap and making it by wiping the dried tears off of her cheeks. After she couldn't hear the sounds of birds anymore, she sat up quickly and went to her suitcase and took out a small picture frame, one that she kept in that bag for safe keeping. The picture in the frame was that of her parents and her, with a bright smile as they stood in front of the same kingdom that Star missed so much. With a soft smile, she stroked a thin index finger down the frame, and she carefully placed it on her night stand.

"I miss my home... But I Marco and his home to help me feel better now..." She said, smiling softly as she got up and headed to the doorway of her room, leaving the photo and the soft walls behind. "I wonder where he is anyway?"

At that moment, a soft 'plunk!' sounded on the other side of the room. Turning her head, Star frowned as she heard several more 'plunks' follow it. Walking over to the window, she gently pushed it opened and looked down. Just below her window, there stood Marco, his hair and face covered in streaks of paint and a bright smile adorned his face.

"Star!" He called up to her, "Come down here! I have to show you something!"

"What is it, Marco?" The blonde asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Just come down and see it!" Marco called, his eyes sparkling brightly as the blonde nodded her head.

Racing out of her bedroom, Star jumped down two stairs at a time before making a break for the front door. Once outside, it was just a quick jog to Marco, who hadn't moved an inch in that time. Upon seeing her messy friend, Star threw her arms around him tightly, happy to see his familiar face.

"Hey, Star." He greeted, allowing the hug. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, but what did you want to show me!?" Star eeped, pushing Marco back so she could see him better.

"Turn around." He instructed with a softened smile, and the blonde promptly did as he said.

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped at what she saw. There, painted on the side of the wall, was a portrait of her kingdom. Every little detail was there, despite being painted by someone who could be labeled as less of an artist. Over the artificial kingdom, there were flaming rainbows and puppies shooting lasers out of their eyes.

"M-Marco... You painted this for me?" The shocked blonde asked, turning just in time to see her friend nod his head.

"D-do you like it? I didn't have a lot of time to finish it before you woke up, so it-" He was cut off by a bone crushing hug.

"I love it!" Star exclaimed, smiling brightly as she tightened the hug. "Thank you, Marco!"

"You're welcome, Star." Marco smiled, returning the gentle hug. "I'm glad you like it."

While it still hurt her a little to think about her home, Star knew things were going to be getting better now, and with her new friend there to help her along the way, she had a feeling that it wouldn't take long at all before she didn't feel homesick at all. With Marco there to cheer her up and protect her feelings, Star felt like she was the luckiest girl on Earth.

Now if only the 'safe-kid' could keep it up.


	2. Dream Of A Future

**A/N: When You Cried: Chapter 2: Dreams of the Future:**

**Summary: Bad dreams aren't always about monsters under the bed. Sometimes they're about the monsters at your school...**

* * *

Earth was meant to be a safe place to train Star in the art that was using her wand of power, and when the girl first arrived on the spinning, blue, orb, it seemed as thought she would be the one influencing Earth. However, the longer she stayed here, it seemed to be the inverse of that. This might have been because on Earth, Star was not a princess, and was not immune to bullying or the influence from other girls on Earth. Marco seemed to be the first to notice this slow, but gradual change over the course of him knowing the quirky little princess.

Her rainbow dresses and rhino shoes were quickly replaced with graphic printed tank tops, dark washed mini-shirts, even a pair of strappy heels from Marco's mom. The princess, who at one pointed never cared for earrings, had suddenly had her thoughts turned to silver and gold hoops. The last part of her transformation was her hair style, which had remained the same for a while now, only now to be traded in for a pair of scissors and a curling iron, giving her hair a shorter, but still more normal looking cut, that framed her chubby, heart dotted face, but with a dab of make-up, even those marks had disappeared. However, Marco couldn't be to worried about these changes, as Star had always faced them with giddy anticipation, and the soon to be adult straightened her posture whenever she looked in the mirror. She, like Marco, didn't even seem to recognize her own face from the little girl one that had been there earlier on that year. It was perfect!

"I'm going out!" Star called loudly in her excitement as she grabbed her purse, one evening, causing Marco to look up from his cellphone.

From the top of the stairs, Star stood in a silver coloured tank-top with long tassles of the same colour running down the front, with a matching head band holding back her hair. For pants, she wore a pair of dark washed skinny jeans that were cuffed at the ankle, and those strappy black heals from his mom that she seemed to love so much. That wasn't what bothered Marco, no, what bothered him was the pound of make-up that Star currently had over her usually natural and adorable face.

"No way, no best friend of mine is going out looking like that." He replied, suddenly jumping up from his chair with a wet rag already in hand. "Go put on one of your nice sweaters and wipe off some of that make-up."

"Why? I like this outfit!" Star whined, before smiling widely and effortlessly dodging Marco's washcloth attack. "Its time for this butterfly to spread her wings!"

"No way! Until that butterfly turns 18 and is safely back on her own home planet, then she should stay as plain old Star." Marco replied, earning soft snickers from his parents in the other room.

Turning her head, Star noticed Marco's parents enter into the living room and stand at the bottom of the stairs with their son. While Marco's mom was looking at Star like she was looking at a movie star, Marco's dad was clasping his son on the shoulder and muttering something to his only child about his excellent 'parent skills' when it came to Star, causing Marco to blush. Finally, after a bit, Marco's parents put their two cents in.

"Marco, honey. I think Star looks beautiful." His mother said, glaring at the two men in her life just in case they dared to say otherwise. "Shes a growing girl, and growing girls have to try new things."

"But mom-" Marco was cut off by a wave of the woman's hand.

"No buts, Marco." She said sternly as she walked up the stairs and took Star's hand, idly leading her down the stairs. "Lets go, Miss. Butterfly. I'll give you a ride to where ever it is you are going."

"Just out to the mall with Oscar, and my number one best friend from Earth who is a girl, and Flying Pony Head, an-" As Star's voice trailed through the front door, a sudden slam from it cut her off from Marco's earshot.

Huffing, Marco couldn't help by feel a touch worried as he went over to the window and watched his mother's car disappear down the rode from the house. Since Star arrived on Earth, Marco was so used to just following her around where ever she went, but after a few months on Earth, Star didn't seem to need her tour-guide anymore, and was now doing things more independently.

"Shes got her wand though... So why should I worry?" Marco muttered, going over to his couch and laying back on it.

Since he had the evening to himself, he figured he would spend this time wisely, doing whatever it was he would usually do before Star came to Earth. Sighing gently once more, he shut his eyes, intending to take a bit of an evening nap for the time being. However, he didn't intend on taking a nap and having a nightmare about the one person he was choosing not to worry about currently.

* * *

_The black color of the heels she wore matched the color on her nails. It was such an un-happy color and Star honestly disliked it, but since the other girl's seemed to love the color, and there really wasn't anything to really hate about it, so she wore it to the mall that day. However, the nail polish seemed rather fitting now, as Star sighed suddenly and took out her phone, which used to be covered in little gems, some glitter, and many puffy stickers. It was now replaced by a slick coat of ox-blood polish, making it look like a high-priced phone, making the girl feel fancy but in a new way. __The screen of her phone flashed on and off in her hand, signalling that she had a text message. It took a bit of time before she finally was able to open her Messages page and look down at it._

**Oscar: Hey... I'm texting this number... **

**Oscar: Yeah, so I can't go to the mall today... **

**Oscar: Sorry, bra...**

**FPH: Hey B-Fly! Can't get out of this prison in time to come see ya, or whatever. Be there with ya in spirit. Kay? Love ya, gurl!**

_Star sighed sadly, upset that two of her good friends had canceled on her. However, she felt a little hopeful as her phone began to beep again._

_**Star Fan: Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry, Star! I totally forgot about our plans to go to the mall! Heading over there right now.**_

_With a soft smile, Star closed her phone and continued to wait for her friend to arrive, However, no sooner had she closed her phone did a car pull up next to her. It wasn't any car that she recognized. This car was pure black with two pinkish red stripes going across the hood, up the roof, and then down the back of the car, and the windows were just as black as the rest of the car. Suddenly though, the window rolled down and sure enough, there was Star's enemy, herself, Brittney._

_"Are you lost or something, Butterfly?" She laughed, her tone just as annoyingly high-pitched as ever. _

_"Brittney, the store for dorks is back the way you came." Star shot back, having become somewhat witty in her time on Earth. "I'm pretty sure you're the one whose lost."_

_"Not bad." She admitted, shrugging her shoulders a little bit as she spoke. "Though a little tip next time you do your make-up; Ruby red lipstick so isn't your color."_

_"What are you doing here anyway?" Star asked, her tone staying just a little friendly as ever. "At least, what are you talking to me for?"_

_"Just out for a drive, if you must know." Brittney replied with a roll of the eyes, "And you?"_

_"Waiting for a friend." Star explained, feeling slightly uncomfortable now as she looked down the street. "Shes also my ride home, soooo..."_

_"Hey, I'm somewhat a friend, so I can give you a ride if you want." Brittney offered, forcing herself to smile a little. "I do owe you for a couple of things."_

_"Why would you do something nice for me?" Star questioned her as she folded her arms over her chest. _

_"What? I can't do something nice for once without getting paid to do it first?" With that, Star heard the sound of the passenger side door clicking open._

_Star was a bit unsure at first, but soon found herself opening the car door and getting inside, feeling relief from the rapidly cooling night air that all but froze her bare arms, in the form of heated seats of Brittney's car. With a shrug, she closed the door behind her and slid a seat belt on over herself. The moment it clicked shut, the car took off down the road at speeds that went beyond the speed limit._

_"Mind if I make a quick stop?" She asked as Star shook her head quickly. "Thanks."_

_The car suddenly took a sharp turn left as the blonde passenger suddenly got thrown against the window of the car and soon came to a sudden halt and her head slammed forward, just inches from the windshield. Brittney got out and pushed her seat forward and pulled something out of the back seat._

_"You coming?" She asked as she began to walk towards what looked like a large house covered in toilet paper and littered with cups, a few cans, sleeping bodies and at least one couple making-out was scattered about the yard._

_"I thought you said this was a 'quick stop'." Star called after her, still waiting in the car._

_"It is. But we're allowed to stay for a few minutes." Brittney rolled her eyes, over emphasizing the word 'few'._

_"Just a few, I have to be home-." Star paused for a minute._

_Star was about to finish her sentence, when a boy suddenly walked over to the car. If she had to guess, she'd say that he was about a foot taller than her, and had shaggy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. When he saw her in the car, he smiled at her before turning to Brittney._

_"Hey Britt, whose your friend?" He asked, looking down at the blonde girl once more, causing her to blush under her mess of makeup and look off to the side._

_"This is Star Butterfly." Brittney said with a quick shrug of her thin shoulders and yet another roll of her dark eyes._

_"Oh? Well, I'm Jared Wong, This chic's older brother." The boy replied with a similar shrug of the shoulders as his sister._

_"Brother? I wonder why shes never mentioned him before." Star thought curiously, only to be pulled from her thoughts and from the car when Brittney suddenly took her hand and yanked her out of the car and close to the older male._

_"She and Marco are those dorks who fight monsters had our school and stuff." Brittney added suddenly in her indifferent tone, almost randomly._

_"We've got a rebel here!" He laughed, his hair falling over his eyes. "You should bring this girl by more often."_

_Star blushed and was about to speak when something was suddenly thrusted into her hands. It made a sloshing sound and was in a can, so she figured it was a drink. Looking down, her suspicions of it being in a can were confirmed, but she looked down at her drink again to see what kind of drink it was. __A rolling rock._

_"I don't drink." She said, politely offering it back to the person who gave it to her._

_"Come on, it's just one. It's not gonna kill ya." Someone said beside her, as the bottle was pushed back into Star's hand. "Just try it."_

_'One drink and hanging out for a few minutes won't hurt.' She thought, just before she opened the can._

* * *

Marco awoke with a start from his dream, his chest heaving as his heart pounded wildly. Looking around the room quickly, he soon breathed a deep sigh of relief when he saw that Star was safely nestled into the couch, idly going through her spoils from the mall. When his eyes landed on her, the blonde looked up suddenly and smiled widely.

"Hey Marco!" She giggled as she waved her wand around.

"H-Hey... Star." Marco coughed, wiping some sweat off of his forehead before inching off of the couch to stand. "I-I thought you went to the mall with your friends."

"I did, but we didn't stay real long." Star replied as she stood up with him and gestured to her bags. "I got you something to."

"Why?" Marco asked, not that he wasn't used to Star's random gift giving by now.

"To thank you for that portrait of my home that you painted a while ago." Star replied, reaching into the bag and pulling out a T-shirt and tossing it to him. "See? Now we both have a castle from another dimension!"

Marco looked down at the shirt, and smiled softly when he saw that on it, there was a picture of his painting of the princess' home planet. Smiling a little warmer, he was about to speak when the blonde suddenly cut him off.

"Isn't it cool!? I took a picture of your painting and they made it into a little shirt!" She said, suddenly grabbing the other's hand and all but dragging him outside to where the real painting was. "That way I don't have to go outside all the time to look at your drawing!"

Marco smiled and looked over to Star quickly. Some of her make-up was beginning to rub off, and her heart markings were visible once more, reminding Marco that even though Star looked a little different now, she was still that same Star who came to Earth.


	3. The Monster

**A/N: "When You Cried" **

* * *

A visit to Jackie Lynn Thomas' house had never seemed so excruciatingly cold and unwelcoming. At least, thats how both Star and Marco felt, with itchy sweaters and their own personal reasons making them even more uncomfortable. Marco with fears of what his girlfriend's parents would think of him should they come home early, and Star with the feeling of several hot needles piercing and poking her poor skin as she moved across the thick stitch work of the squishy couch. She was currently trying not to get crushed under the uncomfortable atmosphere of being a third wheel.

"Oh, my inability to say no to Marco, though are a cruel mistress." The princess sighed softly under her breath.

"Did you say something, Star?" From beside her, the true, cruel mistress sat.

Well, not really cruel. Actually, Jackie had been the one to invite Star over in the first place, seemingly hoping that some video games and movies would get the depressed princess' mind off of recent events. Marco had been the true third wheel in the scenario, as Jackie only figured after that inviting both over would be a good chance for an innocent third date. Regardless of how you slice it, Star still found herself swallowing down a lump in her throat and smiling kindly at Jackie.

"I said my inability to say 'no' to Marco was a-." Star was cut off by a wave of Jackie's hand.

"A cruel mistress, I heard you." She responded with a soft laugh. "Why say that, Star?"

"Oh... I guess I'm just not in a real "visiting" mood." Star admitted with a laugh of her own.

"I gotcha. Still upset about the whole graveyard thing, right?"

As nice as it was to have someone to talk to, Star's mind still changed Jackie from an equal, to a monster. In her mind, monsters were the perfect opponent. Though, what kind of monster was Jackie turning out to be? She was beautiful, more put together into a single theme than Star was. Jackie was also poised and confident when faced with adventures, unlike Star, who now saw herself as sloppy. If they were sisters, Jackie would be the carbon copy of Moon the Undaunted, with Star being a close match to River the Wild.

"Yeah, I guess." Star shrugged, rubbing her cheek with the palm of her hand. "And I guess I sorta feel like a tag-a-long here, you know?"

"What? No!" Jackie assured her with a gentle smile. "I may be Marco's girlfriend, but I invited YOU over first. If anything, Marco is the tag-a-long."

A deep red blush settled onto Star's cheeks at that, though she didn't know if it was front heat or some the tears she was quickly trying to suppress. Whatever the reason, Jackie seemed to take immediate notice. Quickly, the skater outstretched her arms and engulfed Star into a warm hug, though to the princess, it felt just as cold and unwelcoming as the rest of her house, via her own imagination.

"Hey, hey, hey. Its okay."

The monster dug into Star's heart, wielding calm and collect as a weapon against Star's self-loathing and selfish rage over her friend's happiness. The beautiful, unreachable monster who had cursed Star by coming off of her throne to sink down to her level and further push her into her groveling sludge and keep her there. It stung her worse than the needle like fibers of her sweater and cut her just as deep.

"No its not!" Star snapped suddenly, squirming out of the hug. "I really needed this like a hole in the head!"

"Needed what?" Jackie asked, shaking off the outburst rather quickly.

"This! I need Marco more than ever with this!" Star sighed, wiping her eyes roughly. "I'm loosing all of my friends faster than I can keep up and its too much..."

"... Star? Is that why you don't want to be here?" Jackie asked, concern lacing her tone for a moment.

"Jackie, I really appreciate you trying to help, but this goes REALLY FAR beyond what I'm used to..."

"You don't have to worry about Marco being here, Star." Jackie smiled, placing on warm hand on Star's clammy, stiff, tear stained one, worn over months. "I'm not going to steal him from you."

Star winced, wondering if she had been found out.

"I know..." Star sighed, gently moving her hand away and setting it in her lap.

"I know you're worried about loosing him, but don't worry. I got his back." Jackie smiled, adding a wink at the end. "Hes in good hands."

Jackie's hands, weathered from years of life on Earth, had eroded into an surface as perfect as a beautiful island, covered in course but warm and exfoliating sand. Star's had been weathered just the same by years, but monster fighting and magic training had turned them into rough and jagged mountains, with treacherous and dangerous turain that only those with a death wish would dare try and hold...

... Except for Marco. Calloused but lovingly tended to hands belonged to Marco, and were the same ones that HAD ventured that far, and held on tightly to prevent Star from slipping away into a dark hole. Though, in that same move, they were the same ones that had metaphorically let her slip into her own dark hole of woe, when they left hers to join with Jackie's. Jackie's hands were the gentle enough to hold Marco's.

"Hey, Jackie, which bowl should I put the popcorn in?" Marco's voice groaned, causing Jackie to jumping suddenly from the couch. "This heat is kinda dreadful!"

"Use the pot holder, goob!" Jackie laughed, racing off to the kitchen to help her boyfriend.

If Jackie's hands were good, then what were Star's supposed to be? Usually monster's hands were bad, but Jackie was supposed to be the monster in Star's story, not the other way. Though, what if there were a good reason for that? After all, Star WAS the one always getting them into trouble, and if she had already been the one to loose Glos-

"I'm the monster in this story..." She sighed, sliding tiredly off of the couch and quickly walking towards the front door, her steps falling hard. "If Jackie is going to keep Marco safe-"

She paused, looking at the side walk before her and choosing to go back in the direction of her temporary home for the time being. She really just wanted to be on her own for a little bit, thats all.

"Shes going to have to keep him from me." With that, a soft smile graced Star's lips.

All she could ever want for Marco was for him to be safe, and if Jackie was the one that would do that, then she would be okay.


End file.
